Birmingham Mail: Paul Lambert leads Aston Villa into Capital One Cup semi-final action at Bradford tonight urging the travelling fans to play their part at a pumped-up Valley Parade. Villa have sold out their 4,500 allocation for the first leg against the League Two opponents and Lambert is calling for the same vocal backing they have received throughout the run to the last four of the competition.

Birmingham Mail: According to Forza Italian Football Paul Lambert could be preparing to bid for Inter Milan starlet Phillipe Coutinho. The Brazilian midfielder spent some of ;ast season on loan at Espanyol and looks unlikely to break into the first team at the Italian giants.

Birmingham Mail: Bradford's League Two underdogs have been challenged to stay in the tie tonight - and pile the pressure on Aston Villa at Villa Park. Bantams boss Phil Parkinson admits his team would be content to draw at Valley Parade but has warned Paul Lambert will have Villa up for it as much as they are.

Independent: Career triumphs in some of Europe's biggest venues will count for little for Paul Lambert at Valley Parade. Glory for the Aston Villa manager, whose team are out of the Premier League relegation zone by a point, seems a long way off and a trip to Bradford City in the Capital One Cup semi-finals could turn things for better... or worse. Those who know him best say he ready to rise to the challenge.

Goal.com: Former Aston Villa defender Steve Staunton believes it is "crucial" that Paul Lambert's side record a victory in the first leg of the Capital One Cup semi-final at Bradford in a testing week for the Premier League strugglers. The Villans came from behind to beat Ipswich 2-1 in the FA Cup on Saturday, and have a tricky tie against the League Two giant-killers on Tuesday before playing fellow relegation candidates Southampton this weekend.

Daily Express: Shay Given tonight goes back to the club where his career first took shape, fighting for his future at Aston Villa. Given, once regarded as the No1 goalkeeper in Premier League, is now playing second fiddle to American Brad Guzan. But he will start tonight's Capital One Cup semi-final first leg at Bradford City with the prospect of a Wembley date in front of him.

Daily Star: Shay Given says the ­thought of Wembley has kept him going during the "soul-destroying" weeks of sitting on Aston Villa's bench. The Republic of Ireland keeper starred in Saturday's FA Cup win over Ipswich and is likely to keep his place for tonight's ­Capital One Cup semi-final first leg at Bradford.

The Sun: Shay Given will feel right at home if he is given the nod for tonight's crunch League Cup semi-final at Bradford. The Aston Villa keeper, 36, had his first professional trial with the Bantams as a 15-year-old.

Mirror: Bradford's Carl McHugh aims to take another step tonight on a storybook journey from Swindon Supermarine to Wembley Cup final. The teenage Irish defender was farmed out to non-league Wiltshire minnows Supermarine two seasons ago when he was at Reading and also had a loan spell at home with Dundalk.

Daily Telegraph: Goalkeeper Shay Given has revealed that his role in helping Aston Villa to within two matches of the Capital One Cup final at Wembley has stopped him from pursuing a move to a new club. Aston Villa's goalkeeper will make only his seventh appearance of the campaign in the Capital One Cup semi-final first leg at Valley Parade tonight, with manager Paul Lambert opting to use Brad Guzan as his first choice in the league.

*The extracts on this page are taken from various newspapers and media outlets. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Aston Villa.